Ghouls and Ghosties
(And long legged beasties, and things that go bump in the night)
"Dr Mallard….I have to ask you…Scotland it has a history….I mean it is steeped in ghosts and ghouls and mystery is it not." Jimmy Palmer asked, as the pair began to dissect a Petty Officer.
"Why of course, but what brought on this question, unless it is because it is All Hallows Eve soon , and as they say in Scotland, "The sky is blue, the grass is green, may we have our Halloween?" Trick or treat you call it here, but in Scotland we always had to perform a song, a dance, a poem, that sort of thing. But we called it guising, and we never had pumpkins when I was a lad, we had neeps."
"Neeps, Dr Mallard? I don't think I have." as Jimmy passed the heart to Ducky."
"Turnips, Mr Palmer, yes it was only in the later part of the 20th century, when the Polaris Fleet came to Holy Loch, that the Scots became familiar with "Trick or Treat" and your pumpkins."
"Guising, Dr Mallard, is that from the disguises or costumes worn by the children?"
"It is indeed Mr Palmer, but we digress, what was it you were going to ask?" as Duks held out the kidney dish for the bullet.
"Oh yes…Edinburgh, you often say there is an Old Town and a New Town and you often talk of the Nor Loch."
"Ah yes, the Nor Loch, it was generally a Loch but because it was downhill from the Old Town it was to become a large sewage depositary before it was deemed unhygienic and drained to form Princes Street Gardens, but it was used, when the Loch was cleaner, for Witch dunking…. over 300 suspected witch trials are documented at this site, and it is commemorated by a plaque on the castle esplanade. It is possible that many more went undocumented. In many cases, these "trials" would have been fatal, and the suspects thus acquitted." Dr Mallard continued.
"But Doctor, when you were a student in Edinburgh, did you have any supernatural experiences?" Jimmy continued as he walked over to the sink to remove his gloves and wash his hands, before filling the kettle for their afternoon break.
"Oh I have a couple of stories… not that I have experienced 1st hand, but," as Dr Mallard now too began to clean up, and sit down at his desk, waiting for the tea to infuse, "There was one at the Royal….. Ward D, if I remember rightly, he was a Doctor, but he appears as a hairy man with wild red mad eyes, he was killed by another practitioner over a nurse."
"Any of when you were doing your autopsy training?" Jimmy enquired sipping the tea.
"When I was training, yes we did observe a Post Mortem or two, never thought I would finally make it my profession. The old mortuary was situated in the Cowgate, it was down from the Grassmarket and just along the road from Candlemaker Row. Yes, Mr Palmer," Dr Mallard continued seeing the look on Jimmy's face. "Old Edinburgh was split into markets as such, and so you knew where the merchants plied their wares, Fishmarket Close, and then straight Market Street. The Morgue was once actually part of the old abattoir, very convenient…now where was I….oh yes, hanging were usually done in the Grassmarket and then the body transported by cart. There was a manifestation lurking around, I never actually saw it, but allegedly he had the rope burns still round the neck."
"How fascinating Dr Mallard, but are there any other tales of the Old Town."
"I think the most tragic of all stories was of the tale of St Mary's Close, it was Christmas 1644, they say it was a Merchant ship that had docked in Leith, the fleas on the rats. It spread of course like wildfire. The City Fathers decided that the best course of action was to brick up the most plague ridden street, St Mary's Close, that way the disease would run its course. It was to be re-opened to the public in 2003, and that was when the sightings began."
"Sightings, Dr Mallard?" Jimmy asked.
"Well Annie…that was the name they gave her, she keeps asking for her dog and for her doll. Now the tourists leave a doll for her near the place she haunts, very sad." Dr Mallard concluded shaking his head.
"But Dr Mallard, I wonder if there are any ghosts down here, or even at the Navy yard. I mean you have worked here for years, I suppose you must have seen or heard strange noises…..or things that move around…you know putting something down and it vanishes only to turn up later." Jimmy now questioned.
"Mr Palmer, yes I have many a time misplaced something, but usually due to my forgetfulness, being engrossed in my work, but now you mention it, there are sometimes noises but I put it down to the air conditioning and the fact we are in the bowels of the building." Ducky continued, "But yes, there are stories of a cantankerous former U.S. Marine who lived in the 1860s, he lived in a two-story home between G and I Streets SE, it is said he now haunts it, harassing the occupants and acting much like a poltergeist."
"But Dr Mallard, her within this building, have you ever heard stories?" Jimmy pressed on.
"Well I particularly like the yarn of Captain Thomas Tingey, he was born in London you realise, and did in-fact serve in the British Royal Navy"
"I didn't know that, but please continue Dr Mallard." Jimmy said butting in.
"Quite.…he was the 1st Superintendent of the Navy Yard…..he had the distinction of building it twice…the first time he had ordered it be burnt to the ground, in order that the British did not get. He went on to be a Commodore but they do say that he remains on watch, keeping an eye on the Navy Yard. In addition it is said he has been sighted late at night inspecting the Yard." Ducky continued.
"How fascinating, I wonder what he looks like?" Jimmy now wondered, "Wouldn't it be funny to see him dressed in the costume of the time. I mean the period costume."
"I believe Mr Palmer, that yes, the Commodore does. He has also been seen occasionally carrying a spyglass…and his authority is further confirmed by a sword belted to his waist." Ducky now concluded draining the last of his tea, "But now look at the time, there isn't much more we can do tonight, so I suggest we clear up and depart for the evening."
"That sounds like a good idea." as Jimmy rose and began to clear and clean the table, while Ducky wrote up some notes. When all had been done and dusted they had one last look about, everything looked correctly placed. As Ducky put the light out and walked to the elevator, neither he nor Jimmy, saw the ghostly figure rise from the far away autopsy table, and glide over to the door. The figure smiled as he saw the elevator doors close, he then turned and marched through the wall into the parking lot.
Oh yes Commodore Tingey was going on his nightly patrol, and he did so like Halloween.
The End.